Viewers will be showered with dynamic programming this April as Food Network features two new series, four season premieres, two special themed weekends and countless new episodes of fan-favorite shows. Eight stars of the cake world battle for a $100,000 grand prize in the featured primetime series Last Cake Standing premiering Sunday, April 3rd at 10pm ET/PT. Another sweet series joins the lineup as cake decorator Ashley Vicos travels the country creating innovative cakes in her new primetime reality series Have Cake, Will Travel premiering Tuesday, April 26th at 9pm ET/PT. In honor of the Royal Wedding, primetime encores of wedding-themed competitions lead up to the Last Cake Standing premiere and a special sneak peek of Have Cake, Will Travel for a “Royal Icing”-themed weekend on Saturday, April 23rd and Sunday April 24th. New episodes of daytime shows get out their maracas for a special “Mexican Fiesta”-themed weekend on Saturday, April 30th and Sunday, May 1st, hosted by Marcela Valladolid in honor of her Mexican Made Easy season premiere. And, viewers can also catch three additional season premieres this April: Anne Thornton’s Dessert First (April 2nd), Tom Pizzica’s Outrageous Food (April 8th), and Scott Conant’s 24 Hour Restaurant Battle (April 21st). Join the Food Network conversation on Facebook and Twitter.

After four weeks of intense Chopped All-Stars competition, the final four chefs duke it out in hopes of winning the ultimate Chopped title and $50,000 for their charity of choice. The chefs face an awfully-challenging first round when they find offal and a crunchy snack in the appetizer basket. Then, a wild combination of trail mix and goat legs in the entrée round makes an intense battle even more difficult. When the two remaining chefs find a tangy fruit and canned legumes in their mystery baskets, one whips up a championship-caliber dessert and survived the chopping block. Judges for the finale include Alex Guarnaschelli, Marc Murphy, and Marcus Samuelsson. Fans can also follow the action online by tweeting along with their favorite Chopped All-Stars by following @FoodNetwork during the show and using the hashtag #Chopped. And on Mondays, host Ted Allen shares behind-the-scenes stories on Food Network’s official blog – FN Dish.

FEATURED SERIES

Last Cake Standing

Last Cake Standing pits eight stars of the cake world against each other as they vie for the title of “Best Cake Artist in America” and an incredible $100,000 grand prize. The six-episode elimination competition series, hosted by Justin Willman (Cupcake Wars), places talented pastry chefs in intense competitions with crazy twists. The competitors endure difficult tasks from creating cakes with “talents” and superhero-inspired cakes to undergoing a two-day competition in Las Vegas. Each week, the judges eliminate a competitor, until there is only one Last Cake Standing. Notable cake designer Kerry Vincent and pastry chef Keegan Gerhard, both from Food Network Challenge, lead the judging panel with a rotating guest judge each week.

The cake designers form two teams to create two original monsters in 12 hours. A game-changing twist sends one competitor home. Reigning Last Cake Standing champion, Mary Maher, serves as guest judge.

· Premieres Sunday, April 10th at 9pm ET/PT – “Cakes Got Talent”

The competitors must create a cake for a talent show in only eight hours at Bluebird Theater. When presenting, they will perform with their cakes in front of an audience. Broadway actress Kate Shindle serves as guest judge.

The competitors must design over-the-top cakes inspired by Marvel’s classic comic book series, “The Fantastic Four.” Halfway through, the competitors are challenged to create two more cakes that celebrate the series.

· Premieres Sunday, April 24th at 9pm ET/PT – “Magic Cakes”

Now in Las Vegas, the competitors have eight hours to create a cake featuring an illusion or magic trick presented live in front of Caesars Palace with comedic magician, Nathan Burton, who serves as guest judge.

SERIES PREMIERE

Have Cake, Will Travel

Have Cake, Will Travel is a new comedy docu-reality series that follows Ashley Vicos, the reigning queen of the cake decorating world, as she leads her motley crew of assistants around the country creating jaw-dropping, three-dimensional cakes for every type of event imaginable. Unlike most cake designers who are based in a single location, Ashley runs her business on the road, hand delivering her creations and partaking in the parties. Each new city brings its own unique challenges, from finding a working kitchen, to arranging reliable transport for her larger-than-life creations, to taking on last minute custom orders with tight deadlines – all sure to make each event an entertaining yet challenging road trip.

· Mexican Made Easy: Season 4, Premieres Saturday, April 30th at 9:30am ET/PT

THEMED WEEKENDS

“ROYAL ICING” WEEKEND (Saturday, April 23rd and Sunday, April 24th)

Food Network honors the Royal Wedding of Prince William and Kate Middleton with special encore wedding-themed episodes of favorite competition series throughout the weekend, leading up to the premiere of Last Cake Standing. Online, FoodNetwork.com has assembled a “how to” guide on throwing an at-home Royal Wedding watch party, along with photo galleries, historical facts on British food, and cake recipes fit for a Queen. Visit www.foodnetwork.com/royalicing for more ideas on how to celebrate like royalty.

“MEXICAN FIESTA” WEEKEND (Saturday April 30th from 7am-2pm and Sunday May 1st from 7am-12pm)

Food Network chefs celebrate Cinco De Mayo with new episodes of popular daytime series featuring Mexican food and fiestas. Online, FoodNetwork.com is the go-to source for all things fiesta with Cinco De Mayo menu ideas, featuring Chicken Enchiladas, taco truck tips from Aaron Sanchez, ideas on how to get creative with the traditional margarita, and Marcela Valladolid’s favorite Salsa Borracha recipe. Visit www.foodnetwork.com/cincodemayo for more enticing recipes, photos and tips.

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Cook like a Chef?

Want to cook like a Chef? The next time you try a new recipe, follow these tips:1) Read the entire recipe2) Check & make sure you have all the ingredients3) Measure everything out ahead of time 4) Clear your counters & table for needed workspace5) Pre-heat your oven

What about Salt?

One of the things that you'll notice about most of my recipes is that I don't use a lot of salt. I usually add the words 'salt to taste' on dishes that I would not normally add salt at all. I'm used to cooking for family members with health issues such as high blood pressure and diabetes. So, I do try to cut down on salt whenever possible. When you are using canned beans, you can reduce the sodium content by draining and rinsing them before using. Try experimenting with different spices such as garlic, paprika, cayenne pepper, tumeric, and curry. You'll find you can add a lot of flavor without adding sodium.

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